1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to camera mounts and more particularly to an active camera mount for a digital camera.
2. Description of Related Art
A digital camera records and stores photographic images in digital form that can be fed to a personal computer (PC) as the impressions are recorded or stored in the camera for later loading into the PC. Generally, a number of cables must be plugged into or unplugged from the camera when transferring photos from the camera to the PC, charging batteries located within the camera, or connecting an AC power source to the camera.
It is well-known to mount both conventional and digital cameras on a camera tripod and/or other similar well-known camera mount. Conventional camera mounts include a threaded screw on a mounting surface. Conventional and digital cameras include an industry standard threaded mounting hole located on a bottom surface of the camera. The threads of the mounting hole match the threads of the screw on the mounting surface of the camera mount.
Digital cameras may also include a liquid crystal display (LCD) built into the camera that conveys information to a user with respect to the operation of the camera, such as how many more images are capable of being taken and stored by the camera. Other digital cameras include an LCD built into the back of the camera capable of displaying, in color, the images recorded and stored in the camera. The LCD screen may also be used as a viewfinder and allows a user to see what a picture will look like before it is taken. The LCD also allows a user to look at photos already taken and stored within the camera.
Digital camera use solid-state memory flash cards to store images. These flash cards are typically nonremovable memory chips embedded within the camera. More commonly, digital cameras store photos on a removable card that is used to transfer files to the computer. These cards, which can range in size from 4 to 256 MB, come in two primary configurationsxe2x80x94CompactFlash and SmartMedia. Additionally, some newer cameras accept the new CompactFlash drives, which provides up to 1 GB of storage space for data. However, a card reader or adapter is required to read files into the PC which must be connected to the PC""s small computer systems interface (SCSI) or USB (universal serial bus) port if a card slot is not built into the PC. Smart Media cards store a maximum of 64 megabytes, but they easily download on a reader that connects to the PC""s floppy disk drive. Once the card is placed in the reader, the PC""s transfer software is launched to transfer the photos from the camera. The camera is connected to the PC in order to transfer photos from the camera to the PC. Some digital cameras can output photos directly to a floppy disk or via cable to a PC.
Digital cameras consume a great deal of battery power. Many digital cameras can be plugged in for stationary use, and some run off external battery packs. When a digital camera is connected, or docked, to a PC, its color display is generally turned off and unusable. When a digital camera is un-docked, its LCD display consumes too much power to be left on for any length of time. When the digital camera is in use, it is suggested that the camera""s LCD display be turned off to conserve battery power for taking and storing photo images.
Once images are transferred from the digital camera to the PC, they may be printed into a hard copy using a color printer. The software for the camera allows the images to be viewed on the PC. Images may be saved to a floppy disk or the hard drive. Images can be saved in a specific graphic file format, e.g., gif or jpg for Web publishing, pcx or bmp for paper publishing. A graphics program, such as Paint Shop Pro, may be used to edit the images.
However, many steps are involved in transferring images from a digital camera to the PC. In order to transfer images from the digital camera to the PC, it is necessary to hook the camera up to the PC using various cables. If digital photos are taken using a tripod or other mounting surface, it is first necessary to detach the camera from the surface in order to connect the camera to cables from the PC. This is a time-consuming and inefficient process. Additionally, as stated above, the LCD of a digital camera is a heavy drain on the camera""s batteries. If a user wishes to use the LCD of the digital camera while the camera is mounted on a tripod or other camera mount, the drain on the batteries limits the number of photos the camera may take during use. Also, if a user is taking digital photos using a tripod or other camera mount, the user may be in a location away from the user""s PC. Even if a user were to download digital photos to a portable notebook computer, the user must still disconnect the digital camera from the camera mount to connect the camera to the notebook computer. There is a need for a camera mount which eliminates the steps of removing the camera from the mount to transfer digital photos to a PC or notebook computer. There is also a need for a camera mount that supplies power to a camera while the camera is in use.
In accordance with this invention, a camera mount includes a body including a flat surface for mounting a camera. A hollow post is located on the flat surface such that the post is sized to fit within a mounting hole of the camera. The camera mount further includes a trigger device for raising and lowering a first connector located within the hollow post where the connector mates with a complementary connector located within the mounting hole of the camera. A second connector is located on the body for connecting to a cable such that the second connector is electrically connected to the first connector.
This invention will be more fully understood in light of the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings.